Piece of furniture

ABSTRACT

In a piece of furniture a body-supporting material has two opposed parallel marginal portions which are anchored in channels in two frame bars extending along said marginal portions.

nited States Patent 1 1 3,601,446

[72] Inventors Eric Sigirid Persson [50] Field of Search 297/445, y?446.449.452.455.459: 5/82 Sign: Persson-Melin, Mallno, both of, Sweden[56] References Cited [2! Appl. No. 860,745 UNITED STATES PATENTS I PM14, 1969 3,041,109 6/l962 Earnes et al. 297 449 1 Palsmed s- 24,3,223,450 12/1965 297/457 x Asslsnee ExwNflrd AB 3,298,743 1/1967 297452 X Horby, Sweden 3,310,343 3/1967 Schultz 297/445 Pnomy 2 21, 1968'21, 1969 3,431,022 3/1969 Poppe et al. 297/458 x w en 3.348.882 [0/1967Chassalgnac 297/440 [3| limo/68 and 3343/69 Primary Examiner-Casmir A.Nunberg Attorney-John Lezdey [54] PIECE OF FURNITURE 8 Claims, 14Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 297/445, ABSTRACT: In a piece of furniture abody-supporting materi- 297/457 al has two opposed parallel marginalportions which are [51] Int. Cl A47c 5/00, anchored in channels in twoframe bars extending along said A47c 1/12, A47c ll/OO marginal portions.

PATENIEH M1824 my:

sum U10F 13 PATENTEB AUB24 l9?! SHEET 03 UP 13 PATENTEU AUB24I97|3,601,44

" sum 05 DF 13 PATENTED AUG24I97I 3,601,446

sum 08 UP 13 FIG. 10

PATENTEU AUB24 I97:

sum 12 0F Pmmimzw SHEET 130F13 PIECE OF FURNITURE This invention relatesto a piece of furniture comprising a body-supporting support means, twoopposed, substantially parallel marginal portions of the support means,and two frame bar means each extending along one of the marginalportions.

The invention has for its object to simplify the manufacture of suchfurniture thus making it less expensive, and to permit unskilled personsreadily to assembly the furniture details to a finished piece offurniture, which implies that the furniture details can be shipped andsold in a compact package. To this end, the piece of furniture accordingto the invention is characterized in that each frame bar is providedwith one or more channels running throughout the length of the framebars and opening at the bar ends, each of said channels having a lateralmouth leading into a lateral surface of the bars, the material formingthe body-supporting support means being anchored in said channels andmovable along the bars in said channels.

The invention will be more fully described in the following, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate someembodiments.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation ofa piece of lounging furniture according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a chair according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is part ofa section on line IIIIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is asection corresponding to FIG. 3 of an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross section of a leg when using frame bar sectionsaccording to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section of an alternative body-supporting support means;

FIG. 7 is a section of still another embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section of a channel end portion with a wirewedged therein;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 5 but of furthermodifications;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further embodiment;

FIGS. 12-14 are views of still further embodiments.

In F IG. 1 there is shown a piece of lounging furniture having abody-supporting support means, with two opposed, substantially parallelmarginal portions connected to frame bars 2 of metal or plastic, eachextending along one of the marginal portions. One frame bar only isvisible in FIG. 1 since the other frame bar lies concealed behind thefirst one. Each frame bar 2 is provided between its ends with two legs 3supporting the piece of furniture on a base. Each frame bar 2 iscomposed of a main section 4 which extends throughout the length of theadjoining marginal portion of the body-supporting support means I, andthree auxiliary sections 5, 6, 7 each of which runs along onelongitudinal portion of the main section 4. In the leg regions theauxiliary sections are gently curved away from the main section 4 forthe formation of the legs 3. Thus one leg is formed by two adjoiningextensions of the auxiliary sections 5 and 6 while the other leg isformed in the same'way by the extensions of the auxiliary sections 6 and7.

As will appear from FIG. 3, the main section 4 of each frame bar isapproximately U-shaped. In the upper side of the web of the main section4 of U-shaped cross section there are provided two longitudinallyextending channels 8, 9. These channels have approximately circularcross-sectional shape with a constricted lateral mouth leading to theupper side of the main section 4. Extending between the channels 8 ofthe two main sections 4 (only one is visible in FIG. 3) is a webmaterial 10 the lateral margins of which are doubled and sewn togetherby means of a seam 11. The web material 10 runs throughout the length ofthe main sections 4. The sidewalls of the web material 10 are insertedin the channels 8 of the main sections 4, and a flexible wire 12 isintroduced throughout the length of the respective main section 4 intothe fold of the web material lying in the channel 8. The wire 12 has across-sectional dimension larger than the width of the channel mouth sothat the fold of the web material 10 is safely retained in the channel8. The web 10 constitutes a supporting surface for the body-supportingsupport means 1 of the piece of furniture. In a corresponding manner thelateral folds of a web 14 constituting a carrying means for the web 10are anchored in the channels 9 of the main sections 4 by means of wires13. Inserted between the two webs 10 and 14 is an upholstery cushion 14.Instead of designing the carrying means as a web 14 which extendsthroughout the length of the main sections 4, spaced transversesupporting bands can be anchored along the main sections 4 by means ofthe channels 9.

The ends of the wires 12, 13 can be provided at the ends of the channels8, 9 with wedge means for jamming the wires at the channel ends toprevent them from sliding into the channels. An example of this is shownin FIG. 8 where the end of the wire 12 at the end of the channel 8 issurrounded by an annular wedge 16 for instance of resilient plasticwhich when driven into the end of the channel 8 is forced against thewire 12 for retaining it.

It is obvious that the folds of the webs 10, 14 and the wires 12, 13 canbe introduced into the channels 8, 9 from either end of the mainsections 4, where the channels are open.

To keep the two frame bars together to form a rigid frame and to stretchthe web 14 snugly between the main sections 4 of the frame bars, saidmain sections are interconnected by means of crossbars of adjustablelength, which are distributed over the length of the main sections 4.These crossbars of adjustable length can be designed in many differentways, but a particularly advantageous embodiment is shown in FIG. 3.Here, coaxial holes are formed in the two downwardly directed flanges 17of each main section 4 and one end of a cylindrical rod 18 is insertedin each of said coaxial holes, while the other end of the rod has screwthreads for engagement with a nut 19. A spring clip 20 is inserted in agroove in the rod 18 and bears against one flange 17 of the adjacentmain section 4. Opposite each of the rods 18 mounted in one main section4 there is disposed a corresponding rod in the other main section 4. Atube 21 is passed onto the opposed, threaded ends of two such opposedrods 18, and the nuts 19 of the two rods 18 bear against the ends ofsaid tube 21. By turning the nuts 19 the two main sections 4 can bepositively moved apart while stretching the web 14. Of course, one ofthe rods 18 inserted in the tube 21 may have no screw threads and no nutscrewed thereonto, in which case the tube on the rod 18 in question willbear directly against the spring clip 20 instead of a nut 19. By causingthe rods 18 to engage in fitting holes in the two flanges 17 of eachmain section 4 the two frame bars will be kept together to form awarp-proof construction without need for any other transverse connectionbetween the frame bars than the transverse struts 18, 21 and thematerial constituting the body-supporting support means.

The auxiliary sections 5, 6, 7 employed in the piece of furniture ofFIGS. 1 and 3 have within the region of the main section 4 thecross-sectional shape appearing from FIG. 3, which shows the auxiliarysection 6 in cross section. The auxiliary section has two flanges 22which are engaged between, and lie in immediate proximity to, theflanges 17 of the main section 4. Moreover, the flanges 22 have holesfor receiving the rods 18 by which the auxiliary sections are anchoredto the main section 4. Besides, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3,the auxiliary section has outer flanges 23 which grasp the end portionsof the flanges 17 of the main section 4. The flanges 22 are preferablyremoved from the leg-forming extensions of the auxiliary sections 5, 6,7 so that these extensions bear against each other by means of theflanges 23 as indicated in FIG. 1. It is also shown here that theleg-forming extensions of the auxiliary sections can be kept together atthe lower ends by cupshaped foot pieces 24 which are passed onto saidlower ends.

A chair of the same construction as the piece of lounging furnitureaccording to FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. Thus there is provided in thechair a support means 1 which forms the seat and the back rest and iscarried by two frame bars 2 (only the front bar is visible in FIG. 2).Each frame bar is partly formed by a main section 4 of the type alreadydescribed, which extends along the backrest portion and the seat portionand also constitutes part of the front legs 27 of the chair. inaddition, two auxiliary sections 25 and 26 of the same kind as theearlier described auxiliary sections 5, 6, 7 are associated with eachmain section 4. The auxiliary section 25 follows the main section 4along the front leg 27 and the seat portion, and at the transitionbetween the seat portion and the backrest portion an extension of theauxiliary section 25 curves gently away from the main section 4 toconstitute part of each of the rear legs 28 of the chair. The auxiliarysection 26 follows the main section 4 along the backrest portion of thechair, and at the transition between the backrest portion and the seatportion an extension of the auxiliary section 26 curves gently away fromthe main section 4 to constitute part of each of the rear legs 28 of thechair in the manner apparent from FIG. 2. The two frame bars 2 areinterconnected on one hand by the support means 1 and on the other handby crossbars of the kind illustrated in FIG. 3. The ends 18 of thecrossbars are visible in FIG. 2. i

In the modification illustrated in FIGS. 4 and the main section 40 ofthe frame bar has two substantially parallel flanges 17a which areprovided with V-shaped grooves 29 in their facing sides. The associatedauxiliary section 30 has outer flanges 23 of the same kind as in FIG. 3,and an inner flange 31 provided with a rib 32 of V-shaped cross section.When the auxiliary section 30 is moved towards the main section 4a withthe flange 31 close to one flange 17a of the main section the twoflanges will flex slightly apart when the main section and the auxiliarysection are brought together, until the rib 32 reaches and snaps intothe groove 29 while the flanges 17a and 31 flex back into normalposition for detachably holdingtogether the sections 4a and 30. Theauxiliary section 30 may be provided with a second flange 31 adjacentthe second flange 17a of the main section 411, as is indicatcd by dashand dot lines, to further improve the locking together of the sectionsby snap action. When two auxiliary sections 30 each having but oneflange 31 shall be curved away from the main section 40 to constitute aleg for the piece of furniture the flanges 31 need not be removed fromthe legforming extensions of the auxiliary sections 30 if thearrangement is made in accordance with FIG. 5 which shows a crosssection of the leg. Here, one auxiliary section 30 has been connected tothe main section 4a (not shown) with the flange 31 lying in immediateproximity to one flange 17a of the main section, while the flange 31 ofthe other auxiliary section 30 has been connected to the main sectionwith the flange 31 in immediate proximity to the other flange 17a of themain section, so that the two flanges 31 can run beside one anotherwithin the leg portion, as will appear from FIG. 5. To improve theappearance of the leg two panels 33 can be inserted in the rabbetsformed by the flanges 23 of the auxiliary section 30, as is indicated bydash and dot lines in FIG. 5.

One drawback of the arrangements according to FIGS. 3 and 4 resides inthat it may be difficult for technical reasons of manufacture to havethe holes bored in the flanges 22, 31 of the auxiliary sections forreceiving the crossbars 18 lie in register with the corresponding holesin the flanges 17, 17a of the main section, when the piece of furnitureis assembled. This drawback can be avoided by the construction shown inFIG. 9 where the auxiliary section 34 fully corresponds to the auxiliarysection 30 in FIG. 4 except that the inner flanges 35 have only beengiven the same height as the outer flanges 23. At the ends the flanges35 have ribs 32 of V-shaped cross section for snap engagement incorresponding grooves of V- shaped cross section in the flanges 17b ofthe main section 4b. The rods 18 of the crossbars not shown in FIG. 9can then be received in holes formed in the flanges 17b outside theregion of the auxiliary section 34 which is thus retained to the mainsection 412 only by the snap engagement of the ribs 32 with the flanges17b. As extensions of auxiliary sections 34 are curved away-from themain section 4b to constitute furniture legs there is also realized anadvantageous leg construction, as will appear from FIG. 10 which shows across section of a leg formed by the extensions of two auxiliarysections 34. The outer and inner flanges 23, 35 of the two extensionsbear against each other, and in the channel formed by these flangesthere are inserted from the leg ends bars 36 which have across-sectional shape conforming to the channel cross section and thuskeep the two auxiliary sections 34 together to provide a rigid leg.

The main section 4a in FIG. 4 has but one channel 37 for anchoring thebody-supporting support means 1a. The later consists of a tubular webmaterial which at each margin of the support means is sewn together bymeans of a seam 38 to form a fold in which an edge wire 39 is inserted.The restricted mouth of the channel 37 in this case is defined on oneside by a bar or strip 40 detachable from the main section 40. To permitthe fold of the support means 10 with the wire 39 therein to be readilymounted in the channel 37 the strip 40 is removed and, afterintroduction of said fold, secured in position again to prevent the foldwith the wire therein from sliding out of the channel. Between the seams38 adjacent each main section 40 the tube of the support means 1a isfilled with an upholstery material 41. The tube wall portion 42 formingthe supporting surface for the body ofa person reclining in the piece offurniture is of a larger width between the seams 38 than the tube wallportion 43 located on the opposite side of the upholstery material. Whenthe main sections 4a are moved apart by means of the crossbars not shownin FIG. 4 the wall portion 43 is thus stretched or straightened whilethe wall portion 42 extends from the main sections 4a curving away fromthe wall portion 43 according to the shape of the upholstery 41.

FIG. 6 illustrates a main section 40 which like the main section 4a inFIG. 4 has a single channel 37 and strip 40 for anchoring a marginalbead 44 of the support means lb to the main section. The support means1b is formed by a tube 45 of air-impermeable material which is integralwith marginal flanges 46 which in turn are integral with the marginalbeads 44 for engagement with the respective main section 4a of the framebars of the piece of furniture. The tube may be closed at the ends andprovided with means for inflating the tube.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment that with regard to the support means1c and the anchoring thereof to the main sections approximatelycorresponds to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. However, the mainsection 4d in FIG. 7 is tubular, and an auxiliary section 47 of l-shapedcross section is inserted in the tubular space of the main section. Inorder that a leg-forming extension (not shown in FIG. 7) may be causedto curve away from the main section 4d a wall 48 of the main sectionmust be removed within the leg area for permitting the auxiliary section47 to emerge from the tubular space.

FIG. 11 illustrates a lounging chair with a superstructure A looselymounted on a subframe B. The superstructure has a body-supportingsupport means 1 which is carried by frame bars 4 extending along andconnected to the margins of the support means which is kept stretchedbetween the frame bars by means of crossbars in the manner earlierdescribed. Only the ends 18 of the crossbars are visible in this Figure.Since the superstructure A cannot have any legs of its own the framebars 4 must be supplemented with some auxiliary sections, as has beendescribed in connection with the previous embodiments. A rack 60 havinga row of teeth or abutments is, however, mounted on each frame bar 4within the backrest area for a purppse to be described in the following.The toothed racks can be secured to the frame bars 4 by means of thecrossbars. The subframe B can comprise two lateral bars 61 andinterconnecting crossbars 62 which need not, however, be of adjustablelength. The crossbars 62 are fixedly, but detachably connected to thelateral bars 61 in any suitable way. The crossbars 62 may be of the samedesign as the frame bars 4 or can have any other cross-sectional shape.The lateral bars 61 are bent in the manner apparent from FIG. 11 so asto constitute front legs 63, armrests and rear legs 64; the latter maybe provided with wheels 65. The superstructure A rests on two crossbars62 of the subframe B at the upper ends of the front legs 63 and the rearlegs 64. The frame bars 4 are slidably supported on the crossbar 62 atthe upper ends of the front legs 63, and by means ofthe toothed racks 60engage the crossbar 62 at the upper ends of the rear legs 64. Thesuperstructure A can be caused to take different positions ofinclination on the subframe B in that the crossbar 62 is engaged withdifferent pairs of teeth on the tooth racks 60.

FIG. 12 shows a section of a frame bar or main section 4e having asingle channel 50.

FIG. 13 illustrates in cross section an embodiment in which use is madeofa frame bar 4fhaving a single channel 5] which opens into a lateralsurface of the frame bar, and the upper side of the bar may be coveredwith a neat molding 52, e.g. of plastic. A single web 53 is doubledalong a longitudinal fold and sewn together at the margins into a flattube whose lateral folds are anchored with the aid of flexible wires 54in the earlier described manner respectively in the channel 51 of theframe bar 4f illustrated in FIG. 13 and in the channel of acorresponding frame bar at the other margin of the tube. An upholsterymaterial 55 is inserted in the tube between the frame bars. The tube maybe air impermeable and inflated with air instead of containingupholstery material.

The use of an inflatable tube in connection with frame rods having twochannels has proved particularly advantageous. This is shown in FIG. 14.Here, the frame bar 4 is of the same construction as that in FIG. 3which has two channels 8 and 9. A web 56 of the same design as in FIG. 3is anchored in the channel 8 by means of a wire 12. A fold of anair-impermeable web 57 in the form of a flat tube is anchored in thechannel 9 by means of a wire 13. The web 56 is stretched between theframe bars by inflation of the tube. This makes it possible to usecrossbars of invariable length between the frame bars, if this isdesired. By letting the air escape from the tube the webs 56, 57 canreadily be removed without it being necessary to dismount the crossbarsor to shorten their length.

The flanges 170 of the frame bars illustrated in FIGS. 1244 as well asthe corresponding flanges in the above-described other embodiments ofthe frame bars can be utilized to mount fumiture-supporting legs infixed or adjustable position. What we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is I I. A piece of furniture comprising a flexiblebody-supporting support means, two opposed substantially parallel mar"ginal portions of said support means, elongated bead means on Q andextending along said marginal portions, two elongated frame bar means,each of said bar means extending along one of said marginal portions,means on each of said bar means forming a number of channels, each oneextending along the whole length of said bar means and each having aconstricted lateral mouth in a lateral surface of said bar means, saidbead means having a larger cross-sectional area than the width of saidconstricted mouths of channels and being inserted into said channelsfrom one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions of saidsupport means in said channels, elongated crossbar means connecting saidframe bar means and being the sole rigid connecting means between saidframe bar means, and means for changing the efl'ective length of saidcrossbar means to stretch said support means between said frame barmeans.

2. A piece of furniture comprising a flexible supporting sur face means,two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions of said supportingsurface means, first elongated bead means on and extending along saidmarginal portions of said supporting surface means, a flexible carryingmeans, two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions on saidcarrying means, second elongated bead means on and extending along saidmarginal portions of said carrying means, two elongated substantiallyparallel frame bar means, means on each of said bar means forming afirst and a second channel, each of said channels extending along thewhole length of said bar means and each having a constricted lateralsurface of said bar means, said first bead means having a largercross-sectional area than the width of said constricted mouths of saidfirst channels and being inserted into said first channels from one endthereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said supporting surfacemeans in said first channel in each of said bar means, and said secondbead means having a larger cross-sectional area than the width of saidconstricted mouths of said second channels and being inserted into saidsecond channels from one end thereof for anchoring said marginalportions of said carrying means in said second channel in each of saidbar means, elongated crossbar means connecting said frame bar means andbeing the sole rigid connecting means between said frame bar means, andmeans for changing the effective length of said crossbar means tostretch said supporting surface means and said carrying means betweensaid frame bar means.

3. A piece of furniture according to claim 2 in which said carryingmeans is formed by an inflatable tube.

4. A piece of furniture comprising two elongated substantially parallelframe bar means, means on each of said bar means forming a first and asecond channel, each extending along the whole length of said bar meansand each having a constricted lateral mouth in a lateral surface of saidbar means, elongated crossbar means connecting said frame bar means andforming the sole rigid connecting means between said frame bar means,length control means for changing the effective length of said crossbarmeans, a flexible carrying means, two opposed substantially parallelmarginal portions on said carrying means, first bead means having alarger crosssectional area than the width of said constricted mouths ofsaid first channels and being inserted into said first channels from oneend thereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said carrying meansin said first channel in each of said bar means, said length controlmeans serving to tighten said carrying means between said bar means, aflexible supporting surface means, two opposed substantially parallelmarginal portions of said supporting surface means, second bead meanshaving a larger cross-sectional area than the width of said constrictedmouths of said second channels and being inserted into said secondchannels from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions ofsaid supporting surface means in said second channel in each of said barmeans, said supporting surface means extending along a curve away fromsaid carrying means from one of said bar means to the other when saidcarrying means is tightened by said length control means.

5. A piece of furniture comprising aflexible body-support- ,ing supportmeans, two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions on saidsupport means, elongated bead means on and extending along said marginalportions, two elongated main frame bar means, each of said main barmeans extending along one of said marginal portions, means on each ofsaid main bar means forming a number of channels, each one extendingalong the whole length of said main bar means and each having aconstricted lateral mouth in a lateral surface of said main bar means,said bead means having a larger crosssectional area than the width ofsaid constricted mouths of said channels and being introduced into saidchannels from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions ofsaid support means in said channels, elongated crossbar means connectingsaid main frame bar means and being the sole rigid connecting meansbetween said main frame bar means, means for changing the effectivelength of said crossbar means to stretch said support means between saidmain frame bar means, and auxiliary frame bar means extending along atleast part of the length of each of said main bar means and beingconnected thereto.

6. A piece of furniture according to claim 5 comprising at least twosubstantially parallel flanges, extending in the same direction fromeach of said main bar means, and at least one flange on said auxiliarybar means engaging between and connected with said two flanges of saidmain bar means.

7. A piece of furniture according to claim 6 comprising snap detentmeans on said flanges of said main and auxiliary bar means for lockingsaid main and auxiliary bar means together.

8. A piece of furniture according to claim 6 comprising extensions ofsaid auxiliary bar means being bent away from said main bar means forforming legs of the piece of furniture.

1. A piece of furniture comprising a flexible body-supporting supportmeans, two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions of saidsupport means, elongated bead means on and extending along said marginalportions, two elongated frame bar means, each of said bar meansextending along one of said marginal portions, means on each of said barmeans forming a number of channels, each one extending along the wholelength of said bar means and each having a constricted lateral mouth ina lateral surface of said bar means, said bead means having a largercross-sectional area than the width of said constricted mouths ofchannels and being inserted into said channels from one end thereof foranchoring said marginal portions of said support means in said channels,elongated crossbar means connecting said frame bar means and being thesole rigid connecting means between said frame bar means, and means forchanging the effective length of said crossbar means to stretch saidsupport means between said frame bar means.
 2. A piece of furniturecomprising a flexible supporting surface means, two opposedsubstantially parallel marginal portions of said supporting surfacemeans, first elongated bead means on and extending along said marginalportions of said supporting surface means, a flexible carrying means,two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions on said carryingmeans, second elongated bead means on and extending along said marginalportions of said carrying means, two elongated substantially parallelframe bar means, means on each of said bar means forming a first and asecond channel, each of said channels extending along the whole lengthof said bar means and each having a constricted lateral surface of saidbar means, said first bead means having a larger cross-sectional areathan the width of said constricted mouths of said first channels andbeing inserted into said first channels from one end thereof foranchoring said marginal portions of said supporting surface means insaid first channel in each of said bar means, and said second bead meanshaving a larger cross-sectional area than the width of said constrictedmouths of said second channels and being inserted into said secondchannels from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions ofsaid carrying means in said second channel in each of said bar means,elongated crossbar means connecting said frame bar means and being thesole rigid connecting means between said frame bar means, and means forchanging the effective length of said crossbar means to stretch saidsupporting surface means and said carrying means between said frame barmeans.
 3. A piece of furniture according to claim 2 in which saidcarrying means is formed by an inflatable tube.
 4. A piece of furniturecomprising two elongated substantially parallel frame bar means, meanson each of said bar means forming a first and a second channel, eachextending along the whole length of said bar means and each having aconstricted lateral mouth in a lateral surface of said bar means,elongated crossbar means connecting said frame bar means and forming thesole rigid connecting means between said frame bar means, length controlmeans for changing The effective length of said crossbar means, aflexible carrying means, two opposed substantially parallel marginalportions on said carrying means, first bead means having a largercross-sectional area than the width of said constricted mouths of saidfirst channels and being inserted into said first channels from one endthereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said carrying means insaid first channel in each of said bar means, said length control meansserving to tighten said carrying means between said bar means, aflexible supporting surface means, two opposed substantially parallelmarginal portions of said supporting surface means, second bead meanshaving a larger cross-sectional area than the width of said constrictedmouths of said second channels and being inserted into said secondchannels from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions ofsaid supporting surface means in said second channel in each of said barmeans, said supporting surface means extending along a curve away fromsaid carrying means from one of said bar means to the other when saidcarrying means is tightened by said length control means.
 5. A piece offurniture comprising a flexible body-supporting support means, twoopposed substantially parallel marginal portions on said support means,elongated bead means on and extending along said marginal portions, twoelongated main frame bar means, each of said main bar means extendingalong one of said marginal portions, means on each of said main barmeans forming a number of channels, each one extending along the wholelength of said main bar means and each having a constricted lateralmouth in a lateral surface of said main bar means, said bead meanshaving a larger cross-sectional area than the width of said constrictedmouths of said channels and being introduced into said channels from oneend thereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said support meansin said channels, elongated crossbar means connecting said main framebar means and being the sole rigid connecting means between said mainframe bar means, means for changing the effective length of saidcrossbar means to stretch said support means between said main frame barmeans, and auxiliary frame bar means extending along at least part ofthe length of each of said main bar means and being connected thereto.6. A piece of furniture according to claim 5 comprising at least twosubstantially parallel flanges, extending in the same direction fromeach of said main bar means, and at least one flange on said auxiliarybar means engaging between and connected with said two flanges of saidmain bar means.
 7. A piece of furniture according to claim 6 comprisingsnap detent means on said flanges of said main and auxiliary bar meansfor locking said main and auxiliary bar means together.
 8. A piece offurniture according to claim 6 comprising extensions of said auxiliarybar means being bent away from said main bar means for forming legs ofthe piece of furniture.